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Ciarán Byrne @kiwibyrne.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Harlequin, 22-spot and 10-spot ladybirds at Milford, Co. Carlow today. Also the gall caused by Aceria macrochela on Field Maple (Acer campestre).

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Ciarán Byrne @kiwibyrne.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Unusual marked Adalia high up on a headstone in Kildavin, Co. Carlow today. Presumed 2-spot Ladybird (Adalia bipunctata) colour variant? @vc40ladybirds.bsky.social @vc40orthops.bsky.social @andrew-jewels.bsky.social

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Ciarán Byrne @kiwibyrne.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Ivy Bee (Colletes hederae) finally made an appearance in Kildavin, Co. Carlow 😊 First recorded in Ireland in October 2021 at Raven Nature Reserve, Co. Wexford. Since then it's been spreading up the east coast as far as Meath, with inland records now from Wexford and Carlow.

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Ciarán Byrne @kiwibyrne.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

Great to have @obeckett98.bsky.social visit earlier this week to show him some local targets including Oak Scymnus (Scymnus auritus) adult/larva and Ivy Ladybird (Nephus quadrimaculatus) outside Clonegal, Co. Carlow.

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Ciarán Byrne @kiwibyrne.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

Armadillidium depressum, new to Kilkenny from Jerpoint Abbey outside Thomastown at the weekend. Found by my 9 year old daughter ☺️

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Ciarán Byrne @kiwibyrne.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

Two nice flies, Phasia hemiptera and Conops quadrifasciatus at Kilfane Glen & Waterfall, Kilfane, Kilkenny yesterday on Spearmint in an area of meadow grassland.

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Ciarán Byrne @kiwibyrne.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

Monitoring Bog Orchid (Hammarbya paludosa) on John's Hill for the Carlow Rare & Protected Plant Survey. A plant I refound in 2019 after 5 years searching, last recorded in 1990. 1 flowering plant at refind site, with another 5 approx 12 metres west. Extremely inconspicuous & difficult to detect.

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Ciarán Byrne @kiwibyrne.bsky.social · 02/08/2026

Galls of Kiefferia pericarpiicola on Wild Carrot (Daucus carota) near Navan, Co. Meath during the week.

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Ciarán Byrne @kiwibyrne.bsky.social · 01/08/2026

Clockwise from top left: Donacia marginata, Ptychoptera lacustris, 11-spot Ladybird, Oplodontha viridula, Berytinus minor and Rhyzobius litura from a site outside Navan, Co. Meath during the week.

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Ciarán Byrne @kiwibyrne.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

Collected these two 7-spot pupae last week near Clonegal, Co. Carlow. An hour later, 4 x larvae appeared in the pot. Presumed phorid larvae, they have since pupated. Hopefully some adults will emerge in the coming days. A healthy 7-spot Ladybird emerged from the second pupae.

Two ladybird pupae on green leaves with white larva nearby.

Two white larvae that emerged from ladybird pupa.

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Ciarán Byrne @kiwibyrne.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

Nice to catch up with the inconspicuous ladybird Scymnus auritus (Oak Scymnus) again today. Beaten from Pedunculate Oak in a former sand & gravel quarry near Clonegal, Co. Carlow.

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Ciarán Byrne @kiwibyrne.bsky.social · 24/06/2026

First Irish record of Phytomyza krygeri Hering, 1949 (Diptera: Agromyzidae), a seed-feeding fly associated with Aquilegia (Columbine). Identification confirmed by Barry Warrington, National Agromyzidae Recording Scheme. Species is Nationally Scarce B in Britain, although it may be under-recorded.

Seed pod of Aquilegia with an extracted pupa of Phytomyza krygeri to the right.

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Ciarán Byrne @kiwibyrne.bsky.social · 22/06/2026

22-spot Ladybird (Psyllobora vigintiduopunctata) on Nipplewort (Lapsana communis) affected by powdery mildew in Kildavin, Co Carlow over the weekend.

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Ciarán Byrne @kiwibyrne.bsky.social · 14/06/2026

The humble Nettle 🌱💪. Clockwise from top left: Grypocoris stysi, 14-spot Ladybird mating pair, Heterogaster urticae, Deraeocoris flavinlea, Netle-tap Moth, Anthocoris sp. nymph, Andrena haemorrhoa and Cixius sp all on Common Nettle along field edge in Kildavin, Co. Carlow this morning.

Grid of images of species found on Common Nettle.

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Ciarán Byrne @kiwibyrne.bsky.social · 14/06/2026

Leaf mine of Amauromyza verbasci (Agromyzidae) on Great Mullein (Verbascum thapsus) today in Kildavin, Co. Carlow.

Leaf of Verbascum thapsus held up against the sky to show transmitted light through the leaf.

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Ciarán Byrne @kiwibyrne.bsky.social · 02/06/2026

Green Tiger Beetle (Cicindela campestris), Two-handed Longhorn (Rhagium bifasciatum) and Rhagonycha lignosa from John's Hill pNHA, Co. Carlow over the weekend.

Green Tiger Beetle, emerald green beetle on bare ground.

Two-handed Longhorn, black beetle with orangey bands on abdomen.

Rhagonycha lignosa, a small soldier beetle with brown abdomen and black head and pronotum.

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Ciarán Byrne @kiwibyrne.bsky.social · 01/06/2026

Puccinia brachypodii var. arrhenatheri on Aarhenatherum elatius in Kildavin, Co. Carlow today @bitheolaidhe.bsky.social?

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Ciarán Byrne @kiwibyrne.bsky.social · 29/05/2026

Early-purple Orchid (Orchis mascula) recorded during fieldwork in Co. Wexford today. Survey was conducted as part of developing a bespoke "Plan for Nature" for the landowner, a biodiversity initiative coordinated by the @burrenbeotrust.bsky.social via The Hare's Corner program.

Early-purple Orchid recorded along a shaded stream bank on the property.

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Ciarán Byrne @kiwibyrne.bsky.social · 25/05/2026

Some gorgeous pink hues to local Hawthorn around Kildavin, Co. Carlow over the weekend.

White, 5-petalled flowers of Hawthorn, some of which have a pink blush.

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Ciarán Byrne @kiwibyrne.bsky.social · 24/05/2026

For the past few years, I have walked regularly through the grounds of the local church in Kildavin, Co. Carlow. Recently, the church has changed its grassland management strategy, moving away from regular mowing to managing certain areas as meadow grassland. Great to see! #wildflowerhour

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Ciarán Byrne @kiwibyrne.bsky.social · 23/05/2026

Nice suprise today scuttling over the steps of Aghade Church (the shieldbug, not me) outside Tullow, Co. Carlow. A new site for Forget-me-not Shieldbug (Sehirus luctuosus).

Habitat overview showing the church steps and surrounding wider grassland habitat.

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Ciarán Byrne @kiwibyrne.bsky.social · 06/05/2026

Field Scabious (Knautia arvensis) & Cowslip (Primula veris) along a roadside verge of the N80 near Kildavin, Co. Carlow at the weekend.

Purple flower of Field Scabious with numerous pink anthers.

Nodding yellow flowers of Cowslip along roadside verge.

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Ciarán Byrne @kiwibyrne.bsky.social · 04/05/2026

Mating 22-spot Ladybird pair, Red-headed Cardinal Beetle (Pyrochroa serraticornis) and Aceria crataegi gall on Hawthorn leaf along the Slaney near Clonegal, Co. Carlow yesterday.

Mating 22-spot Ladybird pair on Forget-me-not.

Red-headed Cardinal Beetle. Bright red beetle with black legs and long, black, toothed antennae.

Aceria crataegi gall on Hawthorn leaf. Gall mite causes these pale green to reddish pustule galls on the leaves of Hawthorn.

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Ciarán Byrne @kiwibyrne.bsky.social · 03/05/2026

Yellow Archangel (Lamiastrum galeobdolon subsp. montanum) along the River Slaney upstream of Kilcarry Bridge, Co. Carlow. #wildflowerhour

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Ciarán Byrne @kiwibyrne.bsky.social · 19/04/2026

Few-flowered Garlic (Allium paradoxum) along the Barrow at Goresbridge and Shining Crane's-bill (Geranium lucidum) at Borris today. Also a rust on Cow Parsley (Anthriscus sylvestris) @bitheolaidhe.bsky.social #wildflowerhour

Few-flowered Garlic (Allium paradoxum) along the banks of the River Barrow.

Shining Crane's-bill (Geranium lucidum) on a stone wall in Borris.

Orange rust on Cow Parsley (Anthriscus sylvestris) along the Barrow.

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Ciarán Byrne @kiwibyrne.bsky.social · 18/04/2026

Nysius huttoni mating pair, 7-spot Ladybird, 14-spot Ladybird and Armadillidium depressum from Kildavin, Co. Carlow today.

Nysius huttoni mating pair. Small ground bugs with tan ground colour and dark markings amongst moss cover.

7-spot Ladybird clambering across grass leaves.

Armadillidium vulgare, a large woodlouse on stone ledge along a wall.

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Ciarán Byrne @kiwibyrne.bsky.social · 15/03/2026

Meadow Ladybird (Rhyzobius litura) under driftwood amongst Marram in the dunes at Ballinesker Beach, Co. Wexford today.

Small reddish brown ladybird on Marram grass with sand grains in the background.

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Ciarán Byrne @kiwibyrne.bsky.social · 08/03/2026

Bugs Corizus hyoscyami (Rhopalidae) & Acalypta parvula (Tingidae) from the Raven, Wexford yesterday.

Small lacebug with intricate patterning on pronotum and forewings.

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Ciarán Byrne @kiwibyrne.bsky.social · 07/03/2026

Nice to get a comparison shot of these 3 (somewhat) cooperative inconspicuous ladybirds at the Raven Nature Reserve, Wexford this evening. Coccidula rufa (top right), Nephus redtenbacheri (bottom right) and Rhyzobius litura (left).

3 ladybirds on a white plastic tray. Large red individual top right, small brown and black individual bottom right and medium sized brown individual left.

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Ciarán Byrne @kiwibyrne.bsky.social · 23/02/2026

Eupeodes sp. pupa and Platycheirus scutatus agg. larva on headstones in Kildavin, Carlow yesterday.

Dark hoverfly pupa on light grey background of a headstone with lichens.

Brown hoverfly larva on light grey background of a headstone with lichens.

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Ciarán Byrne @kiwibyrne.bsky.social · 23/02/2026

Distinctive looking mite yesterday on Scots Pine bark in Kildavin, Carlow. Leptus trimaculatus (Erythraeidae) potentially.

Dark reddish-brown mite with three light patches on brown bark of Scots Pine.

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Ciarán Byrne @kiwibyrne.bsky.social · 27/11/2025

Several Nysius huttoni sieved from leaf litter in a graveyard in Clonegal, Co. Carlow today. A ground bug native to New Zealand.

Female Nysius huttoni on white background.

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Reposted by Ciarán Byrne

David W. Williams @vc40orthops.bsky.social · 24/11/2025

It has taken over two years for @vc40ladybirds.bsky.social & I to attract another Willow Ladybird (Scymnus limbatus), an extremely small & elusive species, to the refugia we designed in an attempt to learn more about them. It has been a long wait but we found one yesterday, plus an Anthocorid bug

Willow Ladybird, a small (2mm or less) black beetle with a large, red patch on each wing-case, sitting back to back with a Hemipteran bug which is significantly bigger.

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Reposted by Ciarán Byrne

VC40Ladybirds 🐞 @vc40ladybirds.bsky.social · 24/11/2025

After a two year hiatus, @vc40orthops.bsky.social and I were really pleased to finally find another Willow Ladybird (Scymnus limbatus) using our refugia yesterday. 🥰 New for my #LadybirdYearList #VC40Ladybirds #MicroLadybird

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Ciarán Byrne @kiwibyrne.bsky.social · 21/11/2025

Two Neobisium carcinoides pseudoscorpions from John's Hill, Co. Carlow this week.

Pseudoscorpion Neobisium carcinoides on white background.

Pseudoscorpion Neobisium carcinoides on dark background.

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Ciarán Byrne @kiwibyrne.bsky.social · 20/11/2025

2-spot Ladybird (Adalia bipunctata) on a headstone in Kildavin, Co. Carlow today.

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Ciarán Byrne @kiwibyrne.bsky.social · 03/11/2025

Rhizophagus dispar (Monotomidae) under storm damaged Beech bark at Cuilaphuca Wood, Co. Carlow over the weekend.

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Ciarán Byrne @kiwibyrne.bsky.social · 30/10/2025

Ground bug (Lygaeidae) Stygnocoris fuligineus beaten from Rosemary at Cahore, Co. Wexford yesterday.

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Ciarán Byrne @kiwibyrne.bsky.social · 29/10/2025

Good day recording around Cahore, Co. Wexford today. Nephus redtenbacheri agg. was my 29th Irish ladybird. Rhyzobius litura was the most numerous species with 50 individuals seen, beaten from grass and rush tussocks.

Variation in Rhyzobius litura individuals.

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Ciarán Byrne @kiwibyrne.bsky.social · 27/10/2025

Pseudoscorpion Neobisium carcinoides from a disused sand and gravel quarry near Clonegal, Co. Carlow yesterday. Our most widespread and commonest pseudoscorpion species. There are 17 species of pseudoscorpion recorded in Ireland.

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Ciarán Byrne @kiwibyrne.bsky.social · 27/10/2025

Ground bug Stygnocoris sabulosus and tingid bug Acalypta parvula from a disused sand and gravel quarry near Clonegal, Co. Carlow yesterday.

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Ciarán Byrne @kiwibyrne.bsky.social · 19/10/2025

Few more images of the 13-spot Ladybird (Hippodamia tredecimpunctata) from cutover bog outside Banagher, Co. Offaly during the week.

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Ciarán Byrne @kiwibyrne.bsky.social · 16/10/2025

Great day ladybird recording around Banagher, Co. Offaly today. Two new species for me in Scymnus nigrinus and 13-spot Ladybird. Pine Ladybird, Heather Ladybird, 7-spot Ladybird, 14-spot Ladybird and Rhyzobius litura also recorded.

Scymnus nigrinus habitat - pine along drain on cutover bog.

13 -spot Ladybird habitat along the Shannon at Banagher.

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Ciarán Byrne @kiwibyrne.bsky.social · 15/10/2025

Flat-footed fly (Platypezidae) Paraplatypeza bicincta ♀️ from Edenvale Woods, Co. Wexford yesterday. Found new to Ireland in 2021 by Ryan Mitchell from Down. Since then there have been records from Knocksink Wood, Wicklow and Anne's Grove House & Gardens, Cork.

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Ciarán Byrne @kiwibyrne.bsky.social · 14/10/2025

Common Millet (Panicum miliaceum) at a building site in Ardcavan, Co. Wexford today @bsbiireland.bsky.social

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Ciarán Byrne @kiwibyrne.bsky.social · 04/10/2025

Platypezid Agathomyia cinerea ♀️ from Cuilaphuca Wood near Kildavin, Co. Carlow this afternoon.

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Ciarán Byrne @kiwibyrne.bsky.social · 25/09/2025

Mirid bug Pantilius tunicatus from St. John's Wood, Co. Roscommon.

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Ciarán Byrne @kiwibyrne.bsky.social · 23/09/2025

Heather Ladybird (Chilocorus bipustulatus) and Red Marsh Ladybird (Coccidula rufa) from St. John's Wood on the shores of Lough Ree, Roscommon over the weekend. Both new for the site, also recorded 7-spot and 10-spot ladybirds. Unfortunately no 13-spot Ladybird.

Heather Ladybird habitat, beaten from willow along the edge of a drainage ditch.

Red Marsh Ladybird on white beating tray.

Red Marsh Ladybird habitat along the shore of Lough Ree.

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Ciarán Byrne @kiwibyrne.bsky.social · 22/09/2025

Grass-of-Parnassus (Parnassia palustris) at St. John's Wood, Co. Roscommon yesterday. @bsbiireland.bsky.social

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Ciarán Byrne @kiwibyrne.bsky.social · 13/09/2025

Witches' broom galls on Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus) in Palatine, Co. Carlow recently. Likely caused by Taphrina carpini but phytoplasmas can cause similar broom symptoms.

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